The present invention relates to automatic washers and more particularly to an automatic washer having a centrally mounted spray inlet.
In automatic washing machines there generally is provided a basket for receiving clothes to be washed and an outer tub within which the basket is contained. In vertical axis machines oftentimes there is a central agitator which either oscillates or moves in some other fashion relative to the basket to enhance the flexing of the clothes in the wash fluid to improve washability. Generally in such washers the liquid is introduced into the basket and clothes load through a nozzle fixed relative to the frame of the washer and protruding into an open top area of the basket, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,666.
In some constructions it is known to provide inlet spray to the clothes load within the basket from a central location. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,234,498 there is provided a central supply pipe which extends into the center of the rotatable basket which is provided with a plurality of discharge openings through which fresh or recirculated water may be sprayed into the basket. The supply pipe is fixed relative to the washer and does not rotate with the basket.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,825,651 discloses a washer in which the spray nozzle is positioned above the center of the basket to spray downwardly into the basket. The spray nozzle is fixed relative to the washer and does not rotate with the basket.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,407,660 also discloses a spray nozzle which is positioned above a center of the wash tub. In this particular construction there is no separate basket, however the tub oscillates within the frame of the washer. The spray nozzle is attached to the top of the tub and oscillates with the tub.